


Li'l Bleater

by Nanna_Jemima



Series: Days of Our Lives - Witcher Edition [2]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 11:24:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21409396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanna_Jemima/pseuds/Nanna_Jemima
Series: Days of Our Lives - Witcher Edition [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1543372
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	Li'l Bleater

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lost_in_thoughts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lost_in_thoughts/gifts).

Hello dear, you called?

# # # # #

It had been Eskel’s turn to bring some animals to the keep that winter. He’d been lucky to find and buy a trio of goats all of whom were pregnant. They’d have goat’s milk some of the winter, and by the time the kids came there’d be a few good roasts soon enough, too.  
They dined well in the cold season that year.  
When the second of the goats gave birth around midwinter, she delivered not one or two but three kids; Two of a healthy size and one runt.  
“Just kill the runt,” Lambert had said, “it’s too small to become a decent roast anyway.”  
“Shut it, Lambert,” Eskel defended the little guy. “He just needs more time to grow, that’s all. No reason to kill him now.”  
“Whatever, but don’t complain to me, when food stores suddenly run low, because he’s eating food and not becoming it soon enough.”  
Eskel ignored the grouchy prat, who returned to the warmth of their hall, when it became clear he wouldn’t get a rise out of his brother.

# # # # #

The runt had needed extra care. The bigger siblings got a bigger share of their mother’s milk, leaving the little one desperately crying for food and attention that it didn’t have the size to compete for.  
Every time they entered the stables Eskel’s heart broke for the little guy and he made sure that he got what he needed.  
Lambert just got annoyed with the hungry bleating and named the kid The Incessant Li’l Bleater. That quickly became shortened to just Li’l Bleater.  
Eventually Li’l Bleater learned that Eskel’s presence meant food in a way his mother’s presence didn’t, while his siblings were there, and whenever Eskel had been in the stables, the little goat - still unsure on his feet - tried to follow him out.  
Eskel, seeing no harm in it, let the kid follow him around. It had become so dependent on him for its sustenance that it wouldn’t run off anywhere anyway.

# # # # #

It wouldn’t until one day it did, because all kids grow up. And being the runt Li’l Bleater couldn’t quite keep up, and couldn’t jump quite as far as his siblings, though not for lack of trying. He took a tumble, bleated pitifully and struggled to get back up. Eskel came running - he knew those bleats well enough to know that the little one was hurt.  
Rather than dazing the little one’s mind with Axii he used its own ears to cover its eyes. The darkness made it calm down somewhat, so he could take a look at the bloodied leg. Eskel had been worried he would need to kill the little goat, as Lambert had originally suggested. A broken leg was not something this kind of animal got over. As he examined the leg, however, while Li’l Bleater thought it was nighttime and tried to go to sleep, it turned out to only be a bunch of bloody scrapes. Eskel cleaned the wounds and decided the little goat would be fine.  
He carefully held Li’l Bleater’s head in his hands, when he lifted the ears from off its eyes again. He wanted him to stay calm and not squirm too much. The absolute adoration he saw in those eyes had him kind of stunned, and he just sat there, while Li’l Bleater got back on his feet and trotted off to re-join the other goats.  
He heard Lambert snort behind him. “The mighty witcher in his own habitat, brought down by a goat kid. You know, Eskel, I think I know why you have no luck with the ladies. You’re supposed to get women to look at you like that. Not goats.”  
Eskel briefly wondered if witchers would get over broken legs, but he already knew the answer to that.


End file.
